Magnifying glass renting device



P 12, 1939- F. BRODSKY I MAGNIFYING GLASS RENTING DEVICE 1 W H E Y. m m flm H R S a v5 m e m A a M 2 6 mm b Filed Oct. 12, 1937 Patented Sept. 12, I939 UNITED STATES eATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

This invention relates to automatic vending machines and has for its main object to provide a device through which a magnifying glassmay be rented for a limited use.

Another object of this invention is to provide a device of this character in which the magnifying glass normally will be locked in an inoperative position, adapted to be freed for such limited use by an appropriate coin being dropped into a receiving element in the machine; the magnifying glass still remaining securely attached to the machine against theft, and automatically returning to its locked inoperative position when released by the user.

Other objects of this invention will be apparent as the specification of the same proceeds.

In the drawings forming a part of this specification and accompanying the same:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary sectional detail of one embodiment of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional fragmentary detail, the section being taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1 and showing the magnifying glass in an inoperative position;

Fig. 3 is a similar section to that of Fig. 2, showing the magnifying glass in a released position;

Fig. 4 is a sectional detail showing the essential operative parts of another embodiment of my invention;

Fig. 5 is a sectional plan view of said second embodiment, the section being taken on the line 55 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a similar section to that of Fig. 5, showing said second embodiment in an open position, the magnifying glass being ready for use, portions of the mechanism having been omitted;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a rocking shaft, and a sleeve therearound, used in the embodiment of my device shown in Figs. 4 to 6; and

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary detail of said embodiment.

Referring now to the drawings more in detail by characters of reference, the coin operated automatic magnifying glass renting device is housed in a casing, generally indicated by the numeral Ill.

In the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 and 2 said casing may have a front wall II, on the inside of which is arranged a chute I2 of any usual construction to receive and guide the coin, having an opening or mouth I3 outside of the casing I0 into which the coin may be dropped.

The coin l4 dropped into said chute will descend to the bottom thereof and will come to rest on the projecting part I5 of a rocking plate member I6, which normally is kept in the position shown by the full lines in Fig. 1 by the action of the spring I'I, its movement being limited by the stop pin I8. Rocking plate lever I6 is secured on a shaft I9, journaled in the front wall II, the outer end of said shaft, carrying a grip or handle 20 by which the shaft may be rocked by the user of the device from the outside thereof.

A second rocking plate lever 2| is also secured on the inside of the front wall I I, on the opposite side of the chute I2 to that of the plate lever I6, this second rocking lever 2| also having an extension 22, opposite to the coin I4.

After having dropped the coin I4 into the position indicated by full lines in Fig. 1, the prospective user will turn the grip or handle 20, and the shaft I9, in a right hand direction, and an upper extension 23 of the plate lever I6 will press the coin I4 against the extension 22 of the plate lever 2| and will rock said lever 2| into its dotted position indicated by 2|a, while the lever IE will take a position I6a, also indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1.

This movement of the two levers will push the coin downwardly, into its dot and dash position I la, from which position said coin may further drop into an appropriate storage receiver in the machine.

A. bent fiat spring 24 is also secured on the front wall I, as at 25, its right end 26 normally urging the rocking plate 2| into its normal position, shown by full lines in Fig. 1, the left hand rocking of said lever being limited by the left hand end 21 of the flat spring 24, which in such a position of the plate 2| engages an upper shoulder or step 28 thereon.

When the lever 2| is rocked into its position, indicated by the dotted lines at 2|a, through the action of the coin it, it will be kept in such dotted position by the left hand end 21 of said flat spring 24 engaging a second shoulder or step 29 to the left of the shoulder or step 28.

A preferably circular opening or hole 3|! is also provided in the front wall I I, as indicated in Figs. 2 and 3, through which may pass a cord or chain 3| to the outer end of which is secured a magnifying glass 32 having a handle 33.

A sleeve member 34 may be secured on the cord 3|, to the rear of the handle 33 of the magnifying glass, having a front flange 35 by which the inward movement of the chain or cord 3| may be limited and also having a preferably partially vented from leaving the inside of the casing or housing I0.

Rearwardly of said opening 30, a shaft 3'! may be secured in the adjacent side wall 38 of, the housing l carrying a drum 39 on which the chain or cord 3| is normally wound under the action of the spring 40, pulling the chain 3|, and the magnifying glass 32 therewith, into their inward inoperative position, shown in Fig. 2.

The use and operation of my device is as follows:

I arrange the housing or casing H] in any appropriate manner adjacent to the place where a limited use of such a magnifying glass may be desired, like where telephone directories or similar books are kept, possibly in an ill lighted place, and for the better use of which directories may persons would need a magnifying glass, in any case.

The cord 3| and the magnifying glass 32 thereon, are withdrawn into their inoperative locking position, the inward movement of the cord being limited by the flange 35, as shown in Fig. 2, and the magnifying glass 32 with its handle 33 hanging downwardly in front of the casing or housing l0.

Following appropriate instructions, the prospective user will drop a coin into the slot l3, which coin will descend in the chute l2 into its position indicated at M. The user will then turn'the grip or handle 20 in a right hand direction and will thereby place the plate levers I6 and 2| into their positions indicated by the dotted lines, at Mia and 2|a, respectively, as has been described hereinbefore.

Plate lever 2| in its normal position is in the path of the globular flange 36, the front flat face 36a striking against the portion 4| of said plate lever and normally will prevent a pulling out of the cord 3|, preventing a use of the magnifying glass 32. In the dotted position 2|a, however, the forward portion 4| of said lever 2| will be lifted or rocked out'of the path of the globular flange 36 and now the chain or cord 3| may be rawn out, permitting the use of the magnifying glass 32 within a limited distance from my renting machine.

After the magnifying glass 32 has been used and is released, the cord 3| will be drawn back to its coiled position, shown in Fig. 3, by the action of the spring 46, until the flange 35 will meet the front surface of the front wall -Flat spring 24 also has a cam projection 42 secured thereon (Figs. .1 and 2) and upon its return the globular flange 36 will raise said cam projection 42 and the respective portions of the flat spring 24, lifting it out of engagement with the shoulder 29 in plate lever 2|, whereupon said plate lever, under the influence of the end 26 of the spring 24, will returninto its normal locking position, shown by the fulllines in Fig. 1, preventing a new withdrawal of the cord 3| from the machine as long as a new coin is not dropped thereinto.

It may be observed that the globular flange 36 may raise said cam 42 also upon its exit from the casing, therebyv placing the plate lever 2| into its normal locking position, but this will not prevent the return of the cord and the globular flange 36, since the rearp'ortion 36b of saidglobular flange is more rounded than the flat front portion 36a thereof, so that upon the return of said globular flange 36 itsrear portion is adapted to engage the portion 4| of the plate lever 2|, raise the same and slide inwardly thereunder, While,

7 path of the flange 36.

the outward travel of said flange will be prevented by its flat front surface 36a striking against the portion 4| when the plate lever 3| is in its downward normal looking position, as has been described hereinbefore.

In Fig. 2, I indicate, by the dot and dash lines at 43, a protective housing for the magnifying glass 32 and its handle 33, having an open front portion, as indicated at 44, through which the glass may be lifted out of the same, but which housing 43 normally may protect and conceal the same.

In Fig. 3, I indicate, by the dot and dash lines at 3|a, 32a and 33a, in an imaginary manner and on a smaller scale, the appearance of the cord and the magnifying glass when the same is in use.

To steady the movement of the cord and particularly the globular flange 36, a guide 45 may be arranged on the inside of the front wall underneath the sleeve 34 and globular flange 36.

In Figs. 4 to 8, I illustrate another form or embodiment of my invention. In this embodiment also my device may be arranged in a housing or casing, generally indicated by the numeral 50, on the inside front wall of which are arranged most of the operative parts of my device, while, a certain portion of them may be arranged on the bottom or floor 52 thereof.

An appropriate receiving opening and guide chute for the coin may be arranged on said front wall, as indicated at 53. The coin 54 will be received between the front wall 5| and a plate 55 secured thereon, and Will be held in its position, indicated in Fig. 4, by a flat spring 56 secured on said plate. The termination 57 of spring 56 bent toward the front wall 5|, is adapted to yieldingly hold the coin 54 in said position. A shaft 58 is rotatably secured in the wall 5|, having a wing, grip or handle 59 on the outside of the casing, while, the major inner portion of said shaft 53 is Within the casing.- An arm 66 is secured on said shaft, forming a rockable lever underneath the plate 55, that is in the space between said plate and the front wall 5|. A loose sleeve 6| is arranged on said shaft beyond the arm 60, said sleeve 6| carrying the peculiarly shaped arms62 and 53. A spring 64, secured to the bottom of the casing, will normally keep the shaft 58. and the arm 60 thereon in their positions, as indicated in Figs. 4am '7.

A rocking arm is secured on the bottom 52 of the device, being urged in a clockwise direction by the flat spring 66, secured on a metal frame 61 on the bottom plate 52, as'indicated at 68, the clockwise rocking of the arm 65 being limited by a stop pin 10.

The magnifying glass in this embodiment also is secured on a cord or chain 3|, similarly as described for the embodiment in Figs. 1 to 3', said cord again carrying a sleeve 34, with a globular flange 36.

Normally the rocking lever 65 swinging around a pin on the bottom 52 of the casing, is in the position shown by full lines in Fig. 5, and in this position the outer end 65a thereof will be in the path of the globular flange 36 and will prevent a withdrawal of the cord 3| by'obstructing the It is also to be remarked that, in this embodiment, the cord 3| is kept in a'withdrawn locked position by a weight 1|, slidable in a Well 12 in the bottom of the device and secured onthe inner end of the cord 3|, which cord 'may be placed around a pulley or roller 13, arranged in the frame 61.

The operation of this embodiment of my device is as follows:

After coin 54 is dropped into the position shown in Fig. 4, the shaft 58 will be rocked from the outside, through the wing grip 59, in a righthanded or clockwise direction, whereupon the arm 60 will strike the upper right-hand portion 54a. of the coin and push said coin, underneath the spring 56, downwardly against the arm 62 on the rockable loose sleeve 6|, and in this manner, through the coin 54, said sleeve 6| will be rocked.

Arm 63 of said sleeve will now strike the rockable lever 65 on the bottom of the casing, and will set it into its unlocking position, indicated in Fig. 5 by the dotted lines and in Fig. 6 by the full lines. When the arm 65 reaches this position, a flat spring 15 secured over a groove 16 in the bottom 52 of the device, will snap upwardly and its outer end 15a will engage the end 65a of the rocking arm 65, and keep said arm in the position Indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 5 and the full lines in Fig. 6, and it will be obvious that the globular flange 36 may now pass said arm 65 and the cord 3|, with the magnifying glass thereon, may be drawn out of the casing.

Upon passing outwardly, globular flange 36 through its curved lower surface will gradually press down spring 15 and clear the same from its path. Flange 36 may be formed in such a manner that its upper rear right portion will keep arm 65 frommoving forwardly while flange 36 depresses spring 15, as it will be obvious to those versed in this art, but it may also be designed without any such effect in view, in which case arm 65 will be relieved from spring 15 and will follow flange 36 forwardly until said arm is stopped by pin 10, in its normal locking position, as illustrated in Fig. 5.

After the magnifying glass has been used and is released, the cord 3| and the glass thereon, will be withdrawn by the effect of the weight Ii, and the globular flange 36 upon its rearward movement will pass over the spring 15, pressing the same into the groove 16, then slightly rocking backwardly the released arm 65 but not sufficiently to be re-engaged by the end 150. of spring 15, and upon being passed in such a manner by the flange 36, said arm 65 will snap back into its full line position (Fig. 5)' under the influence of the spring 66, and so prevent a coin 54, terminating in a receptacle "Na in the bottom of the device, and the coin forced through underneath the spring 56 may drop into said chute and said receiver.

A guide device 18 may also be arranged on the bottom of the casing over the flange 36 to guide and steady its motion.

What I claim is new, is:

A coin operated renting device, comprising a closed housing, an extensible member normally withdrawn into said housing, but having one end thereof projecting to the outside through an opening in said housing, a locking device normally preventing a drawing out of said extensible member from said housing, a magnifying glass secured on the outer free end of said extensible H ing device, said means to normally prevent a withdrawal of said extensible member comprising an enlarged portion on said extensible member, a spring pressed rockable plate lever normally obstructing the exit of said enlarged portion from said housing, a second rockable lever, cooperating extensions on said two plate levers adapted to receive the coin between them so that a rocking of said second plate lever will rock said first lever out of its obstructing position and free said extensible member for exit, means to rock said second plate lever from the outside of said housing, means normally urging said first plate lever into its locking position, and means made operative through the rocking of said second plate lever adapted to secure said first plate lever in its open position, said means to secure said first plate lever in such a position being adapted to be made inoperative upon the return of said enlarged portion and said first plate lever permitted to return to its locking position.

FRANK BRODSKY. 

